An Eight-Way Bond
by SackDantOur
Summary: It's said that: 'Everything is allowed in love and war.' Shioon knew war. Having to defend a weakened clan from utter destruction, oh, he knew it all too well. Love on the other hand… not so much. Being practically flung into the Sekirei plan, head first, he's about to learn the meaning of the word… the embarrassing way. ShioonXHarem.
1. A strange awakening

**_A strange awakening_**

Pain. So much pain. Oh god it hurt. He tried to move, tried to sit up, but immediately regretted the action as every muscle in his body protested. What the hell was happening? Where the hell was he? Why did his muscles fell like they had been ripped through a meat grinder? So many questions. None of which he had the answers to.

Lee Shioon tried sitting up a second time, his back raising above the ground a few centimeters this time before he slumped back. Then he tried again. And again. And again. It took three more tries, each one presenting new levels of pain before finally, he was sitting up strait.

Craning his neck, Shioon surveyed his surroundings. He wasn't met with anything unusual. Unless you didn't count waking up without any memory of where you were or how you had gotten there as unusual.

As far as Shioon could tell, he was in the middle of a park. Green, neatly cut shrubbery, stretching in every direction around him. A few benches situated nearby, along with the occasional tree.

There were no people around. Which wasn't that odd considering the darkness that was enveloping the area. It was nighttime. After midnight if the position of the moon was anything to go by. The peaceful atmosphere in the park a relaxing contrast to his panicked mind.

It wasn't until Shioon reached down with the goal to push himself of the ground that a realization came to him. Namely, that he was sitting in a crater. Yup, a crater, with a diameter of about two meters. He didn't know why. This was definitely not the location he had fought her…? And then it all came back to him. His lost memories pushing their way back into his mind, the force of an angry rhino.

Accompanying the memories was a sort of sensation. The sensation of guilt, of failure and remorse. The feeling of being utterly and completely crushed.

To think _she_ had turned in to _that_. To think she would change so much he no longer recognized her. He had lost her, failed her. Just as he had his former master. He was sick and tired of it. Sick and tired of letting people down.

Grunting in irritation and a bit of shame, Shioon pushed himself into a standing position, the motion sending small shivers of pain throughout his body. The pain was no were near as bad as it had been when he had woken up, which meant his abnormal healing ability had already started working it's magic.

Anyhow, his memories were back, but the two most important questions still remained. Where was he? And how had he gotten there?

Well, he wasn't going to get the answers to those questions if he remained here. Perhaps he'd even have to wait until daytime if he wanted to ask someone.

Every muscle in Shioon's body stiffened as he picked up a presence, just a few meters to his right. The presence was small, almost nonexistent, but it was definitely there. Was someone trying to ambush him? He couldn't sense any ki, but whomever the presence belonged to, could be suppressing it. Still, you would have to be at least grandmaster level to be able to hide your ki from someone of Shioon's caliber.

Forcing himself to relax, Shioon turned his head in the direction of the small presence and was greeted by a pair of staring eyes along with a wide gaping mouth.

"Wh… What? What was that? You just appeared out of nowhere. And what was that light?" Asked a rough-looking man, his expression confused and utterly bewildered. He was homeless if his clothes was anything to go by, the sake-bottle and the fact that he was laying down on a bench only strengthening his hobo-like aura.

"Light? What light?" Shioon asked as an answer, his previous caution seeping into his voice.

"What light? What do you mean, what light?" The poor man nearly growls, now seeming to be close to hysteria. "You were in the middle of it!"

"…light?" Shioon repeats, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes! A freaking light!" The homeless man was now practically screaming at the top of his lungs, forcing Shioon to subconsciously raise his hands in a defensive manner, as if trying to physically shield himself from the strangers yells. Deciding it might be a good idea to calm the man before continuing to question him, Shioon lowers his voice before cautioning.

"Hey just calm down. You're not going to get any more answers by yelling. And before that, I have a few questions for you." Shioon's head was literally swimming with questions, and while a homeless drunk might not be the best or most trustworthy source of information, it would have to do for now. The drunk opened his mouth, probably in an attempt to protest but was immediately silenced as Shioon's eyes hardened. "Where am I?" The demand in Shioon's voice must have caught the homeless man of guard as he obediently answered.

"You… you're in Shinto Teito." Shinto Teito? Shioon had never heard of the place before. Well… he did understand the language, which meant he was still somewhere in Japan. If he just found the place on a map he'd be able to backtrack home. If he didn't make it home in one day he might have to check in to a hotel.

Of course he could just call Jinnie and have the Sun-Woo Clan itself come pick him up. But considering the clan's bad economy and its unstable position in the Murim, it'd probably be better if he didn't move the clan unless it was absolutely necessary.

"What day is it?" Shioon continued. He could milk the man on the smaller details later. Right now he needed to have a look at the bigger picture, to ask the questions that mattered. So far, his body had never needed more than a day to recover after being injured, but considering the damage _she_ had dealt put a whole new meaning to the phrase 'beaten to a pulp', it was completely possible it had taken longer than normal for his body to heal. He simply couldn't be sure of how long he had been unconscious.

"The day? It's Saturday." The man answered with a confused and slightly distraught expression. Saturday? The last time Shioon checked, it had been Monday. Had he really been asleep for five days? He voiced his thoughts out loud.

"Did it really take five days for my body to recover?" Shioon reached up to scratch his head before continuing. "And why was I recovering in the middle of a park?" A lot of things didn't make any sense. If he had actually been immobile for five days, sleeping in a park of all places, someone would have found him and brought him to a hospital, which meant he must have been moved to this new location not too long ago - Shioon's eyes once again tracked the crater he was standing in - and… you know, been implanted into the ground for some reason.

The homeless man, seemingly reclaiming his bearings, started bombarding Shioon with angry and slightly panicked shouts once again.

"What do you mean five days!? You appeared, just now, out of nowhere in a white blinding light!" It seemed like the homeless man had momentarily forgotten to breath, in favor of shouting at Shioon since he had to take five deep breaths before continuing."I say, ever since the start of the 22nd century the strangest things have been happening." Then adding as an afterthought. "And it all started when that large company made itself known…" Shioon didn't hear that last part though. In fact, he didn't hear the last 17 words the man said. 'Since the start of the 22nd century?' He repeated in his head. What had the man meant by that? Shioon's head had begun to spin and he was feeling more than a little nauseous. "What year is it?" He urgently asked.

"Wha… what?" The drunk answered confused. This time it was Shioon's turn to yell.

"I said! What year is it!?"

"It… It's the year 2108" The homeless man answered quickly. Shioon visibly paled as his eyes widened in horror. He didn't want to believe the man. Wanted to believe the man was lying. But a whole year of negotiations with other clans had thought him to read people. Hence he knew the homeless drunk was not lying. Or at least the man believed he was telling the truth.

Shioon's mind was dragged against its will in the direction of another memory. One containing a feminine hand grabbing him by the hair before slamming him head first into the ground. He had taken one hell of a beating hadn't he? But he still somehow doubted _she_ would be capable of such feats. Sure, it's said that curing the Nine Yin Body Type would yield the person afflicted, incredible, god like abilities. But surely, sending someone through time was a bit farfetched. Then again, he had experienced her power first hand, and therefore knew better than anyone just what she was capable of. Saying her powers resembled that of a god's wasn't actually that much of an exaggeration.

The homeless man seemed to get impatient as he started waving his hand in front of Shioon's face. "Hey! I answered your questions so now you answer mine. What was that light, god damnit?"

The year 2108. Shioon still didn't want to believe it. Didn't want to accept the possibility. But he knew he had to. Knew not to would be foolish. Deciding he needed information from other sources in order to be sure of the fact that he really was in the future, Shioon stood and prepared to leave but wasn't able to as an arm wrapped around his neck before pulling him back.

The homeless man seemingly running out of patience, let one of his hands grab Shioon by the shirt while the other wrapped around his throat, before growling. "You listen here you little shit. If you did all this just to mess with me I swear I'm gonna… Agh!"

The drunk didn't get any further as Shioon knocked him out with a flick of his wrist. Using that kind of force against a non murimin might have been unnecessary. Most would even consider it a waste of effort, but Shioon could see a glint of fear in the man's eyes, and frightened people had a tendency to get violent.

Considering the drunk's toxicity level, courtesy of the many beer and sake bottles scattered all around him, chances were he would simply think the whole interaction was all a dream. And even if he didn't, and decided to share his experience surrounding a bright, shining light, most would just consider it the inconsistent rambling of a crazy drunk.

Picking a direction, Shioon started walking. He didn't know where he was going, just that he needed to move forward.

* * *

 _ **(2 days later)**_

Mid Bio Informatics or, MBI for short was a large Pharmaceutical Company that had made itself known exactly nine years ago. It had risen with speed and ferocity, completely crushing all other competition, establishing itself at the top of the food chain in the large City known as Shinto Teito. There was a logical reason for its sudden rise in power however. The (at the time) new technology they brought to the table was simply unlike anything the world had ever seen before, almost alien. The large company now owned over 50 percent of Shinto Teito, and its influence showed no signs of decreasing. And as expected of the most influential company in Japan, its headquarters was of course located in the middle of the large city.

Shioon was currently standing in front of said headquarters, the large building stretching far higher up into the sky than any other building in its vicinity.

Shioon had more or less acquired the information he was looking for, through history books, lexicons and sometimes, though it might seem inefficient, simply by asking random people on the street. Shioon wasn't one to beat around the bush after all.

The simple conclusion he had come to was that he know found himself in an era, 92 years ahead of his own. Most people had probably panicked at this realization, but not Shioon. No… Panicking wouldn't do him any good. He would keep his head down, his wits about, hoping he would one day be able to return to his own time.

There was one thing that really worried him though. He couldn't find any traces of his own clan, or any of the many other organizations in the Murim. It was like the entire Murim society had just vanished of the face of the earth. This realization actually had Shioon panicking for just a few seconds before he ruthlessly pushed his worries to the back of his head. 'Panicking has never helped anyone,' he reminded himself. Plus, currently he had more urgent business. Problems he needed to solve. Well… only two problems really. He needed a source of income, along with a place to stay.

He'd found a temporary solution to the first problem. His first thought had of course been to get a job. This proved easier said than done. After about two hours of looking and asking around, Shioon finely found a small bread baking store that were willing to hire him. The pay was awful, barely enough to get by, but Shioon couldn't really afford to be picky which was why he graciously accepted the offer. Before he could start he was of course asked for an ID, which he offered without realizing the dilemma the action would put him in. The dilemma being that according to that same ID, he was an incredibly young looking, 110 year old.

The store owner probably thought he was some kind of identity thief since just a few minutes later, police sirens could be heard in the distance.

Wanting to avoid all manners of conflict, Shioon had grabbed his ID before rushing out the bread store, a security guard high on his heel. He had lost the man easily enough. Not many, even in the martial arts world, could outrun him after all.

Still, this posed a problem since he wouldn't be able to get a job unless he could somehow create a false ID. Which he didn't have any idea how to do.

He had more or less resigned himself to the life as a drifter when a sudden thought popped into his head. Maybe he still had access to his clan's bank account. It was a longshot, the chances slim, but nonetheless it was worth checking. And what do you know. The account still existed. And even better, it contained millions of Japanese yen.

The money hadn't been touched for over 50 years though, which was a little disheartening, but the amount a blessing nonetheless. Shioon still didn't like having to once again depend on his clan to survive. Of course eventually he'd find a new source of income, but until then he didn't have much of a choice unless he wanted to sleep on the streets.

So… with the money problem out of the way, all he needed to find was a place to sleep. Unfortunately, his lack of an ID still posed the problem that most housings required an identification to allow anyone to stay there.

Still… he knew for a fact that some places didn't. The owner of the apartment he lived in (in his own time) for example didn't ask for any ID. It might have been because the slightly groggy man was an old friend of his mother, but he still thought he'd be able to find a similar place in this new era he found himself in.

He was probably looking in the wrong part of the city though. If he wanted to find a more traditionally styled home, which didn't rely on today's technology as much, he should probably move away from the center of the city. Maybe look in the southern parts of Shinto Teito. No, not southern... maybe north? Yeah, something in the back of his head told him north was the right direction.

So, turning away from the large building containing MBI's headquarters, Shioon once again, renewed his walk.

* * *

It would be many hours later before Shioon arrived at Izumo House. Having been rejected from more than 11 housings before finally, an exhausted and slightly depressed Shioon finally laid eyes on the entrance of the large inn.

There he would form his first unbreakable bond. There he would meet so many important people. There he would be almost burned to death, grope his first pair of female breasts, get violently beaten by an enraged landlady and kiss members of the fairer sex more times than he could count. There he would truly find a place to call home.

He wasn't aware of any of this yet, though. He was blissfully unaware of the sea of trouble that would wash over him the second he stepped foot inside that inn's perimeter. But then again, if he had known, it wouldn't have mattered, he wouldn't have had it any other way.

* * *

 ** _A kinda boring first chapter, I know, but things will heat up once he wings his first Sekirei._**

 ** _Those of you familiar with the breaker and its two seasons probably know who the female Shioon keeps mentioning is. Then again, maybe you don't. What do I know? Oh, and if you haven't read the breaker, you_** ** _really_** ** _should. It's brilliant. Easily amongst my top three favorite manga/manhwa._**

 ** _READ THE BREAKER! DAMN IT!_**

 ** _If someone could also check for spelling and grammatical errors and send them to me it would be greatly appreciated. I have dyslexia so chances are there are quite a few._**


	2. The bathtub incident

**_The bathtub incident_**

Shioon was exhausted. He was so tired. He just wanted to lay down and sleep, but he couldn't because he didn't have a bed to sleep in.

Most people who knew Shioon would have found this strange. They all knew just how tough and resilient he really was. Some people would even go as far as to say that he was the most tenacious and durable bastard the world of Murim had ever had the honor of housing.

So then we can ask ourselves, 'why was he so tired?' Well, being rejected from more than eleven housings for a reason you really couldn't help or do anything about had a tendency of doing that to you. So, like a cripple having already lost most of his limbs on the battlefield, Shioon dragged himself towards what was about to be the 12th inn he checked.

He approached the door before ringing the doorbell. He waited a few seconds, but after a while the door opened. As mentioned before, Shioon was tired, reeeally tired, which was probably why he didn't notice her presence until she was standing right in front of him. Shioon visibly flinched as her being, her very existence, struck him. Her presence bearing down on him with unprecedented intensity. There was also _something_ surrounding her. Some kind of… power, similar to ki, yet vastly different. Whatever it was, it was pouring off of her in waves, almost smothering his own senses.

Now, if someone else where to have stood before the door when it opened - someone who was not Shioon - their reaction would have been fairly different. They would not have been struck by the landlady's power but by her beauty.

The person, who once again was not Shioon, would have been entranced by her long, purple hair, cascading in waves down her petite frame. She had fair, light skin with a symmetric and delicate face. Her traditional miko attire hiding most of her body from view while still showing of her generous curves. Yes, in every sense of the word, Asama Miya was beautiful. This fact however, went completely unnoticed by Shioon's senses, as all he could see was a warrior who could cleave him in half with one swing of her sword, which was an odd connection to make considering she wasn't wearing a sword to begin with.

The only reason Shioon hadn't jumped back to get some distance between him and her or why he hadn't outright attacked her on the spot was because she wasn't radiating an ounce of killing intent, which was an impressive feat in and of itself. When martial artists focused there ki, preparing for battle, a bit of their will to defeat or kill their opponent always seeped out. The fact that she wasn't leaking killing-intent meant that she wasn't trying to flaunt her power. That it came naturally to her. She might not even be aware of her power leakage.

"Can I help you?" A calm and soothing voice asked, and it took Shioon a few seconds to figure out it belonged to the lavender-haired landlady – who Shioon suddenly realized was quite the beauty – that was standing before him.

With the knowledge that she probably wasn't a threat, not an immediate one anyway, Shioon relaxed his body and senses while putting on an as neutral face as he could muster. He was nervous the change seemed somewhat forced and that she would notice his blunder. But if she detected his slight slipup, she didn't show it.

"Ah, y-yes. I was looking for a place to stay and noticed you had a few rooms open." Shioon quickly answered. "Would it be possible for you to rent me a room here for a few nights?"

"Name?" The lavender-haired beauty asked. Shioon mentally bitch-slapped himself, of course he needed to introduce himself before anything else.

"O-oh, sorry. Shioon. Lee Shioon." The person whose name Shioon would soon come to learn was Miya, nodded before continuing.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Shioon-kun. My name is Asama Miya. And about whether or not you can stay here…" Miya's eyes suddenly hardened, and for a moment Shioon felt like her gaze was piercing right through him. She was studying him, evaluating him, and under her gaze he felt surprisingly small. He must have passed some sort of test since after a while her eyes once again softened, before giving a slight nod.

Her lips turned up in a small, but genuine smile before she continued. "Why yes, I can rent you a room. I don't see why not as long as you pay your rent on time and follow the house rules."

"The thing is… due to certain circumstances, I-I don't have an ID, no legitimation at the moment. Will that be a problem?" This was the point that Shioon had been burned on more than once so you couldn't really blame him for being a bit hesitant when asking. His worries were unfounded however as the purple-haired landlady answered.

"Well… some kind of identification would of course be preferable, but if you don't have any it can't be helped. I am sure we can work out the details anyway." She gave him one last look before turning around. "Please, come inside."

* * *

Uzume was positively beaming with happiness. Finally! After spending almost a whole month in this godforsaken city, looking for what could have very well have been a needle in a haystack, she had finally found the one person she was looking for.

The circumstances were a bit… unique of course, that person being female and all, but Uzume didn't care. How could she? Uzume had found an angel, and her angel was perfect. The angels name? Chiho. It wasn't an unusual name, nothing special about it, but to Uzume it was the most beautiful word she had ever heard. And Chiho was so pure, so innocent… so corruptible.

A series of perverted giggles erupted from Uzume's mouth. "There is so much I must teach her. All her firsts are mine to. Especially _that_ first." At this thought Uzume paused. "Well… doing her in this particular house might be slightly suicidal, but if we visit a love hotel Miya's got nothing to complain about. I just hope I will be able to convince her to come with me."

Uzume let out a small squeal before hugging her pillow with both arms and legs. "Oh! I can already imagine her blushing while I hold her in my arms." Uzume grabbed the upper corners of her pillow before pushing it down on the bed as well as sitting down on it. "I swear! As soon as I get her alone, I will push her down, nail her arms above her head, and then I will just…!"

DING, DONG! Uzume's perverted musings was cut short as the doorbell from downstairs rang. She raised an eyebrow. It was unusual for Izumo Inn to have guests. Except for Seo who occasionally visited to beg for food, no one ever came to visit the large inn.

She doubted any Sekirei or Ashikabi would be suicidal enough to attack the inn while Miya was around, but maybe she should still go down to check what was going on, just to be on the safe side.

* * *

Lee Shioon. It was an unusual name, but it wasn't the name that confused Miya, but the boy himself. Or was he a man? She couldn't tell. Looking at him right now she couldn't think of him as anything but a boy, or… well, a teenager. But she had learned long ago not to judge a book by its cover.

She probably wouldn't have considered him such a big deal though if it weren't for their meeting. Because as she opened that door, after hearing the doorbell, she hadn't been looking at the same person she was looking at now. He'd had the same clothes, the same facial features and the same body, with one exception.

His eyes.

Where the eyes of a naive teenager should have been, Miya instead saw the eyes of a bloody and hardened war veteran.

Those eyes had seen death, this she was sure of, but if the lives had been taken by the same eyes or not, she didn't know. But it wasn't the eyes themselves that truly startled her. Because no matter how dangerous the boy might prove to be, he was still just a human, which meant he would never be a direct threat, power wise, against her or any of her sisters. A human simply couldn't match a Sekirei's strength after all.

No, it wasn't the boy himself that had set her on edge, but with which the ease he had gone from a wild animal to an innocent and slightly naive looking teenage boy. It had been like flicking a switch. Like he had just spontaneously switched personalities.

It was difficult to fool Miya's senses, yet as she was now sitting in front of him, discussing his living arrangements, she couldn't even catch a glimpse of the warrior she had once seen in his eyes.

There would be many days later before she would see that same fire in those blue orbs again. And when she did she would realize just what this 'boy' as she had decided to name him in her mind, was truly capable of, and just how far he was willing to go for those he cared for.

* * *

Uzume trekked slowly down the stairs having just exited her room. From downstairs she could hear two voices. One of them definitely belonged to Miya but the other was a male's voice she had never heard before.

As Uzume became visible in the living room, Shioon's gaze immediately shifted in her direction. He could instantly tell she wasn't 'normal', his sensitive senses telling him her strength was quite a bit above the average Murim-in's. He managed not to flinch this time though, because while her presence demanded attention, it could still not even be compared to the pretty landlady's, whose very existence left Shioon's senses blaring.

"Ah, Uzume. You're up early." Miya said with a smile.

The now identified Uzume just shook her head before answering. "Actually, I haven't gotten even a wink of sleep."

Shioon would have assumed not sleeping any would have been considered a negative thing, but the radiating smile that crossed Uzume's lips proved the opposite.

Miya studied the happy expression for a few seconds before understanding dawned on her face. "So you finally found him." It wasn't a question.

Uzume's smile grew even larger, turning into a huge grin. "Found _her_ , actually."

The landlady carefully covered her smile with one of her sleeves. "Oh, my."

Shioon was confused. He obviously didn't understand what they were talking about and was actually starting to feel a little left out, but before he could think to ask, Uzume's attention turned towards him.

"So who do we have here?" She asked.

"Oh, yes." Miya answered quickly. "This is Lee Shioon. He needed a place to stay so I offered him a room. The one next to yours in fact. We have already worked out the paperwork."

Shioon rose from his chair before extending his hand. "Uzume-san was it? Nice to meet you."

"Oh please, no need for the formalities bro. Just call me Uzume."

Shioon couldn't help but smile himself at the blindingly bright beam which simply refuse to leave Uzume's lips. She was practically radiating happiness.

"Alright Uzume. In that case you can just call me Shioon."

Uzume nodded before taking Shioon's outstretched hand. Her grip was unexpectedly strong Shioon noted as he actually had to channel a bit of ki to his hand in order to return the handshake without flinching. Uzume momentarily widened her eyes as if she just realized she made a mistake before narrowing them in confusion.

"That's a surprisingly strong grip you've got there bro." She still had the largest of smiles on her lips but her eyes had a more calculating gleam to them.

"You to…" Shioon answered quietly, without revealing any emotions. He suddenly became aware that he was being watched and turned to look, only to come face to face with Miya's piercing eyes. He was being studied again he realized. Evaluated.

"Asama-san?" He questioned.

Miya suddenly stood up before motioning towards the stairs. "Now that the pleasantries have been taken care of, how about I show you your room? I also feel I should make the house rules clear as early as possible."

Shioon nodded before heading for the staircase. "Please… show the way."

* * *

 ** _2 weeks later_**

The last two weeks had been hectic to say the least.

When Shioon had arrived at the large in the first day he had been really out of it. He hadn't actually noticed his tired state until he had laid down in his new bed, thinking he was just going to rest his eyes for a few minutes.

What was intended as a short nap, turned into a sleeping marathon lasting 14 hours.

Since he had arrived at Izumo house in the morning, he'd actually managed to sleep through the entire day, waking in the middle of the night. He must truly have been exhausted. The days that followed he had simply spent, looking for any traces of his old world, but with no luck. He simply refused to believe the Murim world had somehow vanished of the face of the map, but that was truly how it felt.

Now he knew for a fact at least that none of the people living in this inn was of the Murim-world. The inner power they possessed compared to his own ki was simply too different. Especially Miya's. The power that was constantly forcing its way from her, had actually become a bit too much for Shioon at one point. Which was why – whenever he was in close proximity to Miya – Shioon simply turned his sensing ability of. His senses simply couldn't handle the constant stress.

He'd also meet the inn's third tenant. Kagari. The guy seemed pleasant enough, although a bit distant. He too had some kind of inner power which was about as large as Uzume's, if not a little stronger. It came nowhere near to Miya's though.

Also, just a few days ago, Shioon had finally managed to get a job.

The opportunity came about when a gruff and wild-looking man, with a white undershirt and a black overcoat slung over his shoulder, entered the inn, with the apparent goal to beg for food. The guy's name was Seo and turned out to be a freelancer of sorts and had after finding out that Shioon needed a job, offered him one. Not wanting to use his clan's bank account more than necessary, Shioon had immediately accepted the job offer and was now working at a construction site.

To his huge relief he didn't need his ID after Seo had introduced him to the manager. Seo obviously had some sway at the construction company.

Shioon sucked in a breath before releasing it into the moist air. He was currently soaking his body in the small traditional onzen that had been built at the lower levels of the inn. After such a hectic week Shioon truly believed he deserved some rest. He might have stayed in the warm water a little too long though. His body felt dry from the heat and he'd actually started feeling a little lightheaded.

Deciding it was time to get out, Shioon stood, preparing to leave the onzen – but wasn't allowed to as he was hit by something, _hard_ , the force pushing him back under the surface of the hot water. Shioon panicked immediately as his ability to breathe was removed. _What's happening?_ His mind was screaming furiously. _Am I being attacked?_

His hand shot up out of the water on instinct, striking at the new threat. He wasn't sure what he expected his hand to meet, but it most certainly wasn't the squishy, round and incredibly soft object which seemed to fit perfectly in the palm of his hand, his palm wrapping around the object. He couldn't tell what it was, but somewhere in the back of his head he recognized the sensation.

As Shioon pushed his head to the surface with the goal to claim some much needed air, he was met by a pair of gorgeous, brown eyes. His sense of danger completely vanished as his eyes landed on the intruder. She was absolutely stunning. The prettiest face he had ever seen, framed by beautiful brown hair which stuck to her wet body.

Question one. Where the hell had she come from? To him it had seemed like she had just spontaneously appeared above him, only to crash into his person a second later. Had she fallen from the roof? Looking up, Shioon could see a small opening in the ceiling. So yes! Chances where, she had indeed fallen from the roof. Alright, one question down. Second question. _Why_ had she fallen from the roof? Well, the answer to that was pretty obvious, of course she had slipped. But that still didn't explain what she was doing up there in the first place, or why she was naked to bot.

Shioon's brain momentarily had to reboot itself as that particular piece of information settled in his mind. She was _naked,_ his hand wrapped tightly around her shapely breast. With a high pitched squeak, Shioon tried to scramble backwards. In his panic he involuntarily squeezed the appendage still secured tightly in his right hand, and was rewarded by a loud and incredibly sensual moan from the woman hovering over him.

In a single motion, the brown-haired woman grabbed Shioon by the shoulders, pushing him back into the water – his face the only thing remaining above surface – before pushing her entire body up against his. As two round, soft and incredibly large objects pressed against his chest, Shioon immediately felt all of his blood rush to his face (and other parts of his body) and tried extremely hard not to think about how soft and smooth her body felt, pressed against his.

"Number 2, Matsu… now and forever… Ashikabi-sama."

"Uh, what?" Was Shioon's intelligent response before a pair of amazingly soft and petite lips pressed against his, and he promptly melted. Who knew a kiss could feel so unbelievably good? Her lips seemed to be a perfect fit for his own, the rims of her mouth the very definition of softness.

Then something strange happened. Shioon felt a fraction of ki leaving his body – just a fraction but an amount none the less – before entering his temporary kissing-partner. What followed was a bright, blinding light as a pair of golden wings sprouted from the woman's back.

Shioon was barely aware of this however as his mind started to slip, his vision turning blurry and his thought process even blurrier. Evidently, the combination of having been in the bath for too long and having all his blood rush to one spot at the same time was taking its toll.

Before he passed out, Shioon couldn't help but entertain the thought that if this had been an assassination attempt – it would have been a damn successful one.

* * *

The first thing Shioon noted when he slowly but surely opened his eyes was the soft yet oddly firm pillow that his face was gently resting against. The second thing he noted was the feminine hand that was gently stroking his head in small soothing motions… and just like that he'd flung himself half way across the room, hitting the wall at the opposite side. He hadn't been resting his head on a pillow, but in the lap of a beautiful, brown haired girl – both of them finding themselves in Shioon's room at Izumo House.

The woman was wearing a loose, white dress. It was only loose around her arms and legs though, the dress wrapped firmly around her upper body, insinuating her curves.

"Wha… why …who?" Completely panicked and confused, Shioon couldn't form a proper sentence.

The girl looked up, the glasses she was wearing shining ominously in the dark room, before standing up with purpose as she strode through the room, towards Shioon. Stopping at an arm's length from the still sitting Shioon, she promptly flopped down in front of him.

"Lee Shioon…" she started with a far too serious voice, "first seen in Shinto Teito exactly two weeks, one day, four hours and 53 seconds ago. He doesn't exist in any official police or government records, nor in MBI's personal archives. A ghost quite frankly. Due to their similar appearances he is presumed to be a living relative of Shioon Jang, who died 19 year ago at age 91." Here the woman paused and as she continued her voice was no longer as dark. "Now… I have to admit my inability to find any solid information on you is a bit off-putting… I do, after all, take great pride in my ability to gather resources. But I won't dwell on it. I will simply have to find other methods of acquiring the material I'm looking for." The perverted smile spreading across the girl's lips, nor the way her hands was squeezing the air, did anything to curb Shioon's nerves. "So… with the goal to further my research, would you be as kind as to _strip_ for me?"

So far Shioon had been keeping quiet as the unknown woman continued her rant, but as the apparent need for him to strip became an issue, he couldn't help but voice his opinion. "W-what?" He'd been saying that a lot lately.

"That's enough Matsu. Give the poor guy some space." A male voice belonging to Kagari was heard from behind the woman whose name Shioon perceived to be Matsu. Pouting slightly, Matsu stood up before baking away from Shioon, who immediately rose from his sitting position.

Seeing someone he recognized Shioon finally found his voice. "Okay, seriously, what's going on?"

"Mh, sorry…" Kagari said and he really did sound apologetic. "Most Sekirei has a tendency of becoming a little overexisted when finding their Ashikabi for the first time." Kagari shoot an annoyed glare at Matsu "You'll just have to forgive her."

 _'Ashikabi?'_ Shioon thought to himself ' _Where have I heard that word before?'_ Shioon then widened his eyes as he pointed an accusing finger at Matsu. "You're the one that attacked me in the bath!"

Said woman pouted cutely before crossing her arms over her chest which had the unwanted – or maybe wanted – effect of pushing her large breasts upwards. "I didn't attack you, the roof's floor gave in and I fell. It's not my fault Miya's roof hasn't been fixed in ages."

Kagari scoffed. "You should be glad Miya is out today. If she'd been the one to find you in the bath, completely naked, cradling an unconscious boy, she'd have killed you."

Matsu promptly paled as the terrifying image entered her mind. "Don't even joke about that." She said with a trembling voice.

"Anyhow…" Kagari continued, a tinge of annoyance evident in his voice. "What where you trying to accomplish anyway, forcing yourself on him like that? You couldn't have, I don't know, introduced yourself first like any normal Sekirei _before_ going through with the winging ritual?"

Matsu was not proud of her lack of self-control which was why she looked down at her feet in embarrassment. She was about to give a snide response but was interrupted by Shioon.

"Okay, stop! The longer you talk the more confused I get so could you please explain yourselves? What's a Sekirei? What's an Ashikabi? What's a winging ritual? And why did you," Shioon nodded his head towards Matsu and couldn't help but blush as the memory was still fresh in his mind "kiss me?"

Matsu was about to note how cute her Ashikabi's blushing face looked but was once again interrupted by a ringing sound, coming from Kagari's back pocket. Suddenly having the attention of the room at large, Kagari flipped his phone open. Growling openly at the number, his face showing a sour expression, he hit the answer button.

An incredibly loud voice suddenly filled the room. "Dum-Dum-Dum-Duuuuuuuuuuuu-dum! Congratulation! Winging one of the little birds." The voice was loud, obnoxious and extremely overdramatic.

Wearing a face of pure murder, Kagari handed the phone to Shioon. "I have a feeling this is for you." He said as he half handed-half threw the communication device at Shioon, who accepted the phone before looking down at the caller, only to see an image of a man, wearing a dramatic white robe that was billowing in the wind – which was odd considering the man was inside. He also wore a pair of sunglasses which was completely hiding his eyes from view.

"I have to say you're a hard man to get a hold of. Seriously, who doesn't have a phone in this day and age?" The man was still using an above average tone of voice but was at least not screaming anymore.

Shioon studied the man in the video call before his eyes widened. "You're Hiroto Minaka!"

"Ah… so you recognized me. I was worried you wouldn't considering how closed off from technology you seemed to be."

Of course he recognized him. In the Murim-world, having access to specific information could mean the difference between life and death. So as soon as Shioon had gotten settled in at Izumo house he'd instantly started reading every newspaper he could get his hands on. Minaka was easily the most mentioned person in any of the many newspapers he'd read.

Minaka once again raised his voice above the norm before proclaiming dramatically. "So, anyhow! As I said, you are the sixth person to wing a Sekirei since this game started! You are now the Ashikabi of Sekirei number zero-two."

A pair of slender arms suddenly wrapped themselves around Shioon's neck from behind as a feminine voice whispered in his ear. "That would be me…" The voice was low and sultry and made Shioon shiver in all the right ways.

Suppressing a blush and trying not to think about the girl now slung over his shoulder, Shioon asked "Game?"

"Yes! As the Ashikabi of number zero-two, you are now participating in a game called the _Sekirei-plan_!" Minaka sounded really excited over the prospect. "The rules are simple. Once they have found their Ashikabi, their destined one, all 108 Sekirei must fight and fight and fight… and fight, until only one remains. The Sekirei and Ashikabi will then be allowed to ascend."

As the atmosphere shifted, Kagari and Matsu turned their heads towards Shioon, Kagari in alarm and Matsu in concern as her Ashikabi's body went as stiff as a rock, his previously sky-blue and radiant orbs turning as cold as ice. Minaka must have noticed the change as well, as his smile momentarily faltered.

His tone was cold and demanding as Shioon repeated his earlier question. "Game?" He let the query hang in the air for a little while before he continued. "What you just described doesn't sound like a game to me."

The smile which had temporarily left Minaka had once again reclaimed its previous position but you could now detect a hint of unease in his voice. "I must say, that's a… unique thing to focus on. Most Ashikabi ask about the meaning behind their title or about _what_ the Sekirei are."

Shioon's answer was quick without missing a beat. "From their conversation before you called, it seems like both Kagari and Matsu would be able to answer most questions, which is why it's important to ask you the questions they wouldn't be able to answer." At least that was the logical reason behind his inquiry. The truth, however, was that he had reacted so strongly to the word "game" because it reminded him of someone else. Of someone who played with the lives of others and then discarded them like old toys when he had no more use for them. Of someone who also used the word "game" to describe what was obviously a small scaled war. He had been reminded of Kaiser.

"If you don't want to view it as a game, that's fine. But that's how I chose to see it." Minaka clarified. "Now, there is one more thing I need to make clear. The _Sekirei-plan_ are to be kept secret. Should any evidence of its existence leak to the public, MBI will retaliate using its full might."

Shioon's cold eyes softened noticeably as he nodded in understanding. "It's appreciated."

Shioon couldn't help but flinch slightly as kagari's enraged voice pierced the air. "What do you mean, 'it's appreciated'? What part of what he just said is appreciated?"

"He might have phrased it unpleasantly but his true intentions are to lessen the collateral damage, by minimizing the civilians' exposure to the plan." Shioon once again directed his attention towards Minaka. "I might not appreciate the threat but I do appreciate the sentiment behind it." After a short pause he added. "Still… I must advice you be careful how you treat people. Sometimes just one wrong comment could lead to an early death."

Minaka wrinkled his eyes before with a subdued voice cautioning. "That's not a threat is it?"

"No, no, no! You misunderstand." Shioon raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "As the CEO of such a prominent company as MBI you can't afford to make too many enemies. No reason to stir up trouble if conflict can be avoided." Shioon had once again relaxed his features and had more or less returned to the same meek-looking teenage boy he'd been when the conversation started, his eyes having been restored to their previous sky-blue color.

Minaka smirked slightly and couldn't quite keep the self-satisfaction out of his voice as he said. "I'm glad you understand. Now, I am a busy man so I'm afraid I'm going to have to cut this conversation sho…"

"Just one more thing." Shioon interrupted.

"Yes?"

"Who am I?"

The unexpected question sett Minaka of balance. "Excuse me?"

"Who Am I?" Shioon repeated.

Minaka was about to answer but was again interrupted by Shioon. "The facts are that even with MBI's massive resources, you know next to nothing about me. Now I'm about to tell you something, and because you don't know who I am, because you don't know what I am capable of, it's going to sound like empty threats, but I feel it's appropriate I inform you either way." At this point, Shioon's voice had again turned as cold as ice. "If you harm anyone close to me, hurt anyone I care for, I won't be merciful enough to simply kill you. No, I will erase you and _everything_ you stand for off the face of the earth." A sickeningly sweet smile spread across his lips as he finished with. "And yes, that is, in every sense of the word, a **_threat_**." He was practically growling the last word.

It looked like the CEO of MBI was about to say something in response but didn't talk fast enough as Shioon promptly ended the call, cutting the conversation short. He then dropped the phone on the ground before stomping on it. Repeatedly.

Three people remained in the room. One of them looking down at the ground while trying to control his anger and the other two looking wearily at the third. The silence clung to the air like fog until Matsu broke the silence. "Shioon?" Her voice laced with concern.

He clenched and unclenched his hands a few times before releasing a deep breath. As his body relaxed Shioon turned his attention to Matsu. "I have a few additional questions I would like answering. If you would?" His voice sounded tired and resigned as he motioned for Matsu towards the door. This would probably be a long conversation meaning he needed to find somewhere comfortable to sit. Preferably the kitchen table. Matsu nodded before following Shioon out the door, leaving Kagari alone in the room as he stared at the floor.

"My phone…"

 ** _Yeah, Shioon is going to be pretty pathetic when it comes to the opposite sex, cause… you know, this is Shioon we're talking about. Most types of conflicts though he's going to deal with using pure awesomeness, cause… you know, this is Shioon we're talking about._**

 ** _Please review, pretty please (pleading on my hands and knees)._**


	3. A frozen heart – part 1

**_A frozen heart_** ** _–_** ** _part 1_**

Shioon grunted in exertion as he hefted the large wooden plank over his head before moving towards the center of the construction site. Of course if he used ki to strengthen his limbs this kind of weight wouldn't even be worth mentioning but Shioon had quickly come to the conclusion that he should avoid strengthening his limbs unless absolutely necessary.

Thanks to his meditation exercises his body was already far stronger than most peoples. And after going through overall rebirth, that strength and durability had only increased. People were already looking at him oddly – carrying stuff twice his size. If he started moving even heavier things he'd start drawing suspicion, and he didn't need the attention.

"I have to say, you're much stronger than you look." Seo's coarse voice was heard to Shioon's right, he to carrying a wooden plank over his shoulder, his voice sounding gruff and strained from the heavy weight. "No offence but with such a small frame and feminine face you don't really look like someone who'd lift weights."

Shioon nodded slightly as he carefully set down the board he was holding. "Yeah well… I was weak once, but then I realized I hated being so weak and decided to do something about it."

"You know, it makes you sound really ominous when you say things like that"

Shioon gave a weak laugh. "Yeah… I guess it does."

The two construction-workers continued working in silence for a few minutes until the quiet was once again broken by Seo. "Anything on your mind?"

 _'_ _Heh, what an understatement.'_ Shioon thought but answered politely. "No… nothing."

A small, smug smile spread across Seo's face. "Your distress doesn't happen to have something to do with a certain brown-haired hacker girl right?"

Shioon promptly stumbled and almost dropped the pole he was holding but managed to catch himself at the last minute. "Wha-what?" His face was bet red.

Seo snorted in laughter. "Guess that's a yes."

The revelation that he was now stuck in a game with a bunch of super-powered alien women that were supposed to fight each other until the last man standing had dealt a larger blow to Shioon's mental health than he had originally realized. It was just so much to take in.

He wasn't entirely sure they were alien though. It's just that, one of the things Matsu was most tight lipped about was where she and her sisters were from, and after Shioon had made the joke that maybe they had arrived to earth on a spaceship he'd been meet with silence – or in Uzume's case an awkward laugh – so yeah…

None of these things were what made him the most uncomfortable though. No, that honor belonged to Matsu herself.

She was just so… difficult. He had absolutely no idea how to behave around her. The way she would wink and flirt with him openly. The way she would use every excuse possible to stay as unnecessarily close to him as possible and the way she appeared so incredibly content doing all that. He just didn't know how to deal with any of it. Not that she seemed to mind though. In fact, she seemed to take great pleasure in making him uncomfortable.

Oh, and she'd said she loved him. _Loved_ him. How was he supposed to deal with _that?_ And the way she'd said it. It had just been a passing thought. Like it was the most obvious and natural thing in the world.

Shioon had no experience with girls, with romance, so of course he didn't know much about the subject but he was pretty sure you weren't supposed to fall in love with someone at first glance. But still Matsu claimed she did. Maybe love didn't mean the same to her kind as it did to a human. Maybe the word wasn't as important. Although the subject made him uncomfortable he'd have to ask her about it later.

Shioon realized he'd lost himself in thought as he heard Seo clear his throat. "So kid… anything I can help you with. I am a bit of a self-thought expert when it comes to girl trouble." Shioon raised an eyebrow as he turned his head towards Seo. Somehow he couldn't imagine the man as much of a ladies man. "Hey, what's with that look?" Seo exclaims in mock hurt. "I'll let you know, I've dated plenty of girls." Shioon was still looking at him with eyes of disbelief. "Oh, and I have sex with two daily." At this admission Shioon blushed a deep red.

"You know kid, I think your problem is that you get flustered far too easily."

Shioon leveled a halfhearted glare at the older man. "Shut up…"

* * *

Darkness had started its slow descent as Shioon made his way home. You could still glint the sun as it colored the sky a beautiful crimson but would soon lay down to sleep.

Work had ended about 15 minutes ago. He'd quickly parted ways with Seo, the two coworkers living in opposite directions.

Shioon's stomach grumbled slightly as he continued down the road. He'd only brought a sandwich to eat during lunch but had in the end only eaten half of it, Seo being the one to eat the other half. Shioon grunted in irritation before kicking a small rock which was crossing his path. The bastard even had his own food.

The brown-haired teenager couldn't help but smile as the image of a hot-tempered redhead entered his mind. If Jinnie saw him being so immature over the loss of half a sandwich she'd probably refer to him using a word, meaning 'a small cat', before beating him up… repeatedly. Shioon audibly sighed as his features seemed to sadden. Ever since having been sent to this strange time, his thoughts had more often been drifting back to his old home. He really missed it.

As the wind blew past him, sending shivers down his spine, Shioon turned his attention towards the center of a large park he was just passing. There was something there. No. Not something. _Someone._ A Sekirei. Normally, Shioon probably wouldn't have considered approaching the person. No reason to stir up trouble if trouble can be avoided. His instincts however, was telling him this was someone he needed to confront. The presence felt… off. He couldn't tell how, but he just knew something was wrong.

Having made up his mind, he steeled himself before entering the park. He reached out with his mind to make sure the presence didn't move before making his way through the dark park at a brisk pace. After ducking under a pair of low hanging branches he finally glimpsed the frame of a humanoid shape sitting on a park bench. As he got closer he started picking up specific details which had previously been hidden by the darkness.

The person was female if her thin frame was anything to go by. She had dirty, light-brown hair and the only thing covering her modesty was a bloodied and beaten lab coat and a pair of white panties.

It might sound weird and more than a little inappropriate considering she was almost naked, but as Shioon got close enough he couldn't help but stop to admire her. Even though she was covered in blood and mud of equal amount she was still stunningly striking. All the light around her seemed to reflect of her skin, making it glisten beautifully in the approaching night.

Shioon cleared his throat as he made his voice heard. "Excuse me miss, are you alright?"

* * *

She sat there, alone. The only thing keeping her company was the chilly night air. She'd been sitting there a while now. She didn't know for how long, but considering the sun was soon to be replaced by the moon it must have been many hours since she last sat down. In the beginning she'd been surrounded by people. They would occasionally throw quick glances at her, before adverting their gazes and hurrying along. Children would whisper and point in her direction before their parents would rush them forward. She didn't blame them. Didn't blame the whispers.

She was broken. Ruined beyond repair. She would never find the one thing all Sekirei were supposed to. She had nothing to offer, so why would anyone offer her anything? Why would anyone want her?

As nighttime drew closer the people started to disperse, along with the whispers. She was alone once again, the darkness of night having finally caught up to her. Loneliness was nothing new to her. Neither was the darkness. They had both long ago claimed a permanent place in her heart.

As Akitsu heard the sound of footsteps she didn't react. She knew who they were and understood that sooner or later they would find her. She didn't even know herself why she'd escaped. Perhaps some part of her had thought that maybe, just maybe if only she could reach the outside world she'd be able to, against all odds, claim an Ashikabi. Or maybe she was just sick and tired of being cooped up in that lab. Honestly she didn't know.

Anyhow, MBI had tracked her down. She would probably be put back in that cell, just so they could continue running tests on her. Continuing their experiments. Or maybe they would finally put her out of her misery. Somehow that thought didn't scare her as much as it once had…

As the footsteps stopped in front of Akitsu she was getting ready to stand up but froze as she realized only one person was standing in front of her. If MBI had come to collect her then surely they would send a security squad along with the scientists? That's when she heard the voice.

"Excuse me miss, are you alright?" It was male and laced with concern. At first she didn't know how to respond. Was she alright? No, of course not. By why would he ask? Why would this stranger care? Didn't he understand she was broken and could never be his?

As Akitsu answered her voice was low and subdued. "I am fine." It was better this way. She wouldn't burden someone else with her problems. Or at least that's what she told herself, but the truth was that she was scared. Scared of once again being rejected. Surely, after he realized she had nothing to offer he would turn his back like the rest of them.

And as expected. After her admission he turned around and walked away, leaving her alone once again.

What was the purpose of her existence? She'd always thought that although she couldn't be winged, at least her life had a purpose, but lately she'd started asking herself if that was really true. Did she really have something to live for? A reason for her life? Maybe she should just end it all…

Akitsu flinched slightly as something soft and surprisingly warm wrapped around her frame. Looking down she realized her upper body was now covered by a large and fluffy winter coat.

"I didn't have something myself to cover you with but luckily that clothes store over there was still open." What? It was the same voice she'd heard just a few minutes ago. He'd returned. But Why?

With slow and measured movements the unknown boy sat down next to her on the park bench.

Here Akitsu couldn't help but turn her head to get a look at the stranger that was conversing with her without any apparent reason. He looked to be around the same age as her. Maybe 16 or 17. He was wearing dark, baggy clothes and had a thin, unexpectedly feminine face which Akitsu thought made him look surprisingly cute. Atop his head was messy, brown hair. "My name is Lee Shioon." She heard him say. "What's yours?"

Akitsu remained quiet for a while before answering in a low whisper. "Akitsu…"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Akitsu's voice cracked slightly as she repeated her earlier answer to that question. "I …am f-fine." She barely had time to finish her sentence before the boy grabbed her by the jaw as he forced her to look directly into his eyes.

They were the kindest eyes she had ever seen while still holding a stern quality. "So you're gonna be stubborn about this huh?" His voice sounded… irritated? "See, here's the thing. Any idiot with half a brain would be able to tell that you are not – by any definition of the term – _fine_. I was really just trying to be sensitive when I asked, but since that's obviously not getting us anywhere I'm gonna stop beating around the bush." The boy whose name was Shioon, let go of her face before rising. "Stand up." He demanded.

"What?" Akitsu still couldn't comprehend what was happening.

"I am not leaving you here in the middle of the night dressed like that." Shioon explained as he extended his arm. "Take my hand." Akitsu slowly reached for the palm. She gasped as her fingers wrapped around the larger appendage. It was so warm!

Shioon sighed somewhat as he pulled her to her feet. "I live at an Inn a few minutes from here." And with that said he turned around and started walking, pulling Akitsu along behind him. She stared in wonder at the appendage that was dragging her forward and for the first time in weeks, a small smile spread across her lips.

* * *

 ** _A short chapter after one month of waiting… sorry. It's just. So. Much. School! I'm drowning in homework! It's everywhere!_**

 ** _It seems school has calmed down slightly now though so hopefully my writing speed will pick up. It'll probably be another month of waiting until the next chapter but I promise to make that episode much longer._**

* * *

 ** _I have received a few questions about the story which I will answer here instead of through PM… because I'm lazy._**

 ** _First of all, I'm aware_** **The Breaker** ** _is set in Korea while Sekirei takes place in Japan. The reason why I pretend both stories takes place in japan is because I didn't want to have to deal with Shioon having to learn the Japanese language. That would be_** ** _so _****_annoying._**

 ** _So what about Shioon's strength? At what point in_** **The Breaker** ** _does the story take place? The story takes place about one year after the second season of_** **The Breaker** ** _ends, which means Shioon's around 17 years of age. This also means he's had one year to train making him stronger than most above average masters. He's still got a way to go before reaching masters on the level of Elder Kwon though._**

 ** _So, what about Shioon's Sekirei? Have they already been chosen? 7 out of Shioon's 8 Sekirei have been set in stone. The eighth and final Sekirei I just can't decide on. Once I figure out how to put up a poll I will probably let my readers vote._**

 ** _Some questions in the reviews I haven't answered because they will be answered later in the story._**


	4. A frozen heart – part 2

**Like, half a year late… but on we goo.**

* * *

 ** _A frozen heart_** ** _–_** ** _part 2_**

Matsu had started to worry. Her Ashikabi should have been home by now.

To be exact – considering the distance to and from her Ashikabi's work and his walking speed – he should have been home exactly 23 minutes ago. That number might sound oddly precise but this was what she did, what she specialized in. Of course she'd added potential distractions her Ashikabi might encounter on his way home, into her calculations.

He should have been home 22 minutes and 52 seconds ago.

As Matsu shifted her weight from where she sat in front of her many monitors she could feel a tiny ting of guilt in the tip of her stomach. She'd really screwed up, letting herself be the first Sekirei he winged. She originally intended for him to wing a few other Sekirei before she claimed him herself, but after getting in such close proximity to someone who she had been reacting to for the last two weeks, she just hadn't been able to contain herself.

Matsu was a powerful Sekirei. She could contribute great things to all kinds of confrontations, but that only applied if she had someone to fight for her, someone who could follow her directions as a tactician. If another hostile Sekirei decided to confront Shioon now, Matsu would have no power to protect him. She really should have made sure he winged others before her, because that would have been safer, and because she knew he would.

As an Ashikabi he was incredibly powerful. Using her many surveillance devices, Matsu had been the first to notice Shioon as he approached the small inn and at the time, she hadn't thought much of him. That was until he'd walked past her hidden room, after which her face had heated up like a furnace and her heart started beating like a steal drum. She, a single number, had reacted so strongly to someone who found himself at the other side of a wall. He would wing others, this she was sure of.

So for the last two weeks he stayed at the inn she would use her many spy-cameras to watch him. Find out what kind of person he was.

His background check showed next to nothing, or to be more precise, he didn't _have_ a background to check. As far as the net was concerned, he didn't exist, so she had to gather whatever information she wanted herself through observation.

She noticed a few things which could be considered odd. He was good at hiding his behavior in the company of others, but he was constantly looking over his shoulder. His movements were slow and measured, like he was constantly expecting someone to jump out and attack him. This behavior had originally worried her but since it didn't seem to directly hinder his social abilities, she'd decided to drop it, at least until she could confront him about his behavior in person. Another thing she noticed was the way he would tense up in the presence of Miya. It was like he saw something when he looked at the landlady. Matsu didn't know what her Ashikabi saw but it was clear that something about Miya's very presence made him uncomfortable.

Matsu almost jumped out of her seat as she heard Izumo Inn's front door open and close. Finally! He was home.

* * *

The crisp, cold air bit into his skin as the wind blew past but he ignored it.

He was still holding onto Akitsu's hand as he led her through the streets, slowly guiding her towards the small inn.

Normally he'd probably feel awkward about holding a girls hand, and to be completely honest he actually was a little embarrassed, but letting go apparently wasn't an option. He tried once, assuming she'd follow on her own but instead she just stopped in the middle of the road. So he'd sighed before reaching for her hand again and then continuing puling her along behind him.

Occasionally he felt her eyes staring at the back of his head but when he turned around to meet her eyes she immediately turn her head down to stare at the ground. He could also swear he saw a small coloring of pink on her pale cheeks, every time she diverted her gaze. He tried striking up a conversation a few times but since she often answered with just a few syllables, having a normal conversation was easier said than done.

* * *

Swiftly standing up, Matsu immediately left through the hidden door and headed towards the inn's entrance, but then promptly stopped in her tracks. Shioon stood in the entrance, smiling at her. It was not Shioon she focused on however, but on the Sekirei that was standing behind him, expression calm and emotionless. Matsu recognized the new Sekirei immediately.

Formerly known as Sekirei number 07, Akitsu, now though she was nothing but one of MBI's failures. A failed product that was never meant to be released, nor be allowed a part in the game. Which could only mean one thing. Number 07 was currently taking orders directly from MBI. How else could she possibly have been allowed outside?

When Akitsu shifted as if to grab ahold of Shioon the hacker Sekirei tensed. Matsu knew the powerful corporation wouldn't leave her alone after she'd stolen the Jinki, but to think they'd sink so low as to specifically attack her Ashikabi. It didn't matter, Matsu wouldn't let them; wouldn't let this _puppet_ of MBI even _touch_ her Ashikabi.

What Matsu did next was not a decision founded on logic. Somewhere in the back of her head she knew she was no match for the enemy Sekirei – she couldn't stand up to any combat Sekirei in a direct fight – but it didn't matter. Her Ashikabi was in danger and she'd be damned if she let anything happen to him.

Whit an angry roar she flung herself over Shioon before aiming a kick towards the face of the opposing Sekirei. The kick never landed however as a thick block of ice spontaneously formed as a shield, blocking the attack. Matsu grunted in irritation, how could she have forgotten the broken number had the ability to manipulate ice? Kicking back towards the ice barrier, Matsu hurled herself away from the ice wielder, dragging Shioon along with her who let out a slight yelp at the sudden motion. Matsu's landing was clumsy as she almost fell back but managed to steady herself at the last moment, Shioon secured safely in her arms.

Flinging the boy behind her, out of harm's way, Matsu screamed. "You touch even a hair on his head I will…?!" Matsu's threat died on her lips as Akitsu appeared right in front of her nose. What? She hadn't even seen the ice wielder move. How was it possible for any being to travel so fast? Next came the strike, moving at incredible speeds towards the hacker's center. Matsu braced herself, there was no way she'd be able to repel an attack of this level, if she was lucky she'd walk away from the exchange with nothing more than a broken arm.

"Stop!" Matsu heard her Ashikabi scream in the background and although she appreciated his support, the outburst wouldn't make a difference. It wasn't like the broken number would stop just because Shioon told her to – just that she did, immediately retracting her fist right before it hit its mark. With a nod the Sekirei took a step back, the small coating of ice around her attacking-hand slowly dissolving into the air.

"Yes master." Came the immediate reply from the ice user.

Matsu frowned. Master? Had she heard that right?

"Master?" Shioon sounded just as bewildered. Matsu turned to Akitsu with the goal to question the ice user but once again felt her words die in her throat when she saw Akitsu's expression. It was by far the most complex emotion she'd seen on the face of the emotionless Sekirei. Fear, coupled with self-hatred.

Face turned down, her voice small and piteous, Akitsu whispered more than said. "Do you not want me?" Her voice was filled with self-loathing.

Shioon to must have recognized the devastation in the ice Sekirei's voice since he instantly started panicking by waving his hands above his head and shouting. "No, no, no! That's not what I… I mean… I wasn't sure…?" He sent Matsu a helpless, pleading look, as if to ask what he was supposed to say or do. Matsu raised her shoulders and shock her head, she was just as clueless.

"Ara, ara. What's this?" Matsu's hair suddenly stood on end as a frightening, yet at the same time far too familiar feeling washed over her. Shioon and Akitsu must have noticed the change in atmosphere as well as they both whirled towards the source of the new presence. "I believe I made it perfectly clear there would be no fighting in Izumo inn."

"Miya, whatever do you mean?" Matsu said while trying to sound inconspicuous. Then inwardly winced when she noticed the state of the inn's hallway. It seemed like the short skirmish between her and the other Sekirei had left more damage then she'd first realized. The shelf that kept their shoes from touching the floor had its front legs ripped off, a few of the floorboards had cracks in them, and the entire hallway was covered in a thin layer of ice. Uh, oh.

The smile that covered the landlady's face wasn't scary at all. No it most certainly wasn't. Yup, yup. "You are not trying to weasel your way out of this are you, Matsu?" Matsu didn't answer. She couldn't because the shape that had started forming behind the landlady truly petrified her. The pressure continued to build, oozing of the smiling landlady in waves.

Akitsu had changed position again, standing protectively in front of Shioon with a few dozen icicles floating above her head. Matsu could admit she was impressed. That Akitsu dared stand up to this kind of power even though she probably knew she was outclassed spoke well of her bravery. Obviously none of them where in any real danger, both Shioon and Matsu knew that although Miya could be damned scary she would never actually hurt any of them for real; but the ice Sekirei didn't know that.

The pressure vaulted when Miya's accusing eyes landed on the broken Sekirei – or to be more precise; on her forehead – and as Miya's eyes widened in outrage, Matsu actually thought the landlady would incapacitate the ice user, but instead the landlady's face lit up in understanding, her eyes turning from accusing to sympathetic. A second later the pressure vanished, along with the strange shape that'd started forming behind her.

"I think both of you need to talk." Miya directed her statement towards both Shioon and Matsu. "I will prepare tea." And with that said the pretty landlady swiftly turned around and walked back into the kitchen. Matsu turned to sneak a peek at Akitsu who had once again placed herself right behind Shioon, slightly to his right. By now it was obvious the emotionless Sekirei was not a threat, but that still begged the question why she was with Shioon in the first place, and why MBI had released her even though she couldn't be winged. Matsu creased her eyebrows. Maybe she'd escaped?

"Um… shall we?" Shioon looked questioningly at Matsu as he motioned towards the couch. Matsu nodded. They definitely needed to talk.

Shioon sat down in the middle of the couch, while Matsu sat down to his right. Akitsu followed Shioon to the couch but when he sat down she remained standing, looking at his left side with a questioning look on her face.

"Uh-um," The only male in the room creased his eyebrows as he questioned. "Would you like to sit down?"

Akitsu chanced a glance in Shioon's direction before quickly adverting her eyes. Then she nodded, but remained standing.

Matsu shifted next to her Ashikabi before explaining with a low voice. "I think she wants your permission."

"I don't think…" Shioon started to say but when he saw the look on the ice Sekirei's face he immediately quieted down. He then cleared his throat. "Please sit down?" It still sounded like a question but seemed to be enough as Akitsu slowly moved and sat down next to him. She didn't look at either of them, but instead focused her vision in her lap.

"So…?" Shioon started. "There is a lot of things I'd like to ask but let's start with, why did you attack each other?" The question was more directed at Matsu than Akitsu, which was lucky since it didn't look like the ice user was going to answer.

Matsu scratched her neck as she explained. "I am not in the best of relationships with MBI right now…" That was quite frankly a bit of an understatement but Shioon didn't need to know that. "Since she's a broken number I thought there was no way MBI would have released her, which was why I assumed she had been ordered specifically by MBI to get to me by harming you." Matsu lowered her voice as she narrowed her eyes. "Which leads me to ask, how and why are you here? MBI can't possibly have released you, so that leaves only two options. Either you're working with MBI, or you're on the run from them."

Akitsu didn't answer with the truth, but there was no malicious intent behind her lie. She had been promised much, yet given nothing – abounded and then discarded like an old shoe. Minaka had promised her freedom, the chance to be one of the first Sekirei to be winged, and in exchange all she needed to do was participate in a small and 'completely safe' – as Minaka had put it – experiment.

A single failure, a malfunction in the equipment, had then left her broken and miserable, ready to give up on life. Then, when she reached the very bottom, when she had given up all hope, _he_ appeared out of nowhere. Shioon knew nothing of her situation, yet offered his hand, and she had accepted and followed. The facts still stood however, MBI was probably still looking for her, ready to capture and hide their failure. Would Shioon still want her if he knew she'd escaped from MBI? Would he still agree to let her remain at his side if he knew she was so damaged that MBI had never intended to release her? What if he thought she was dangerous? That that was the reason why MBI hadn't released her. Akitsu didn't want to lie, the thought of doing so sickened her, but she couldn't lose this opportunity, because if she did she would lose everything she had.

She didn't want to lie but she still did. "They did… they released me. They let me go…" She said quietly, still not looking anyone in the eyes.

Matsu could immediately tell it was a lie. The hacker Sekirei narrowed her eyes but kept her voice low as to not anger Miya. "There is no way in hell that's true. They wouldn't release a Sekirei which can't be winged. Did you approach Shioon because you wanted some kind of protection from MBI? Because you wanted to use him as a shield?"

At this admission the emotionless façade on Akitsu's face temporarily cracked and a multitude of emotions seeped out. Was that true? Was she putting the boy in danger with her very presence? She turned towards Shioon with a panicked yet at the same time pleading expression. "N-no… I didn't realize… that wasn't my intention." She spoke with lower volume than ever before, yet the quiver in her voice could easily be heard, as well as the pleading tone.

"I feel for you," Matsu began "but I just can't trust you without good reason. If you won't tell the truth then we can't trust you."

Akitsu's emotionless mask was now back in place, hiding her grief from the world. _I guess I somehow knew this would be the end result._ She thought. _I don't understand why I ever thought…_

"She can stay." Shioon cut into the conversation, completely ending Akitsu's train of thought while at the same time silencing Matsu. "I will speak to Miya about renting a second room," he turned to Akitsu, "but for now you can sleep in my room while I sleep here on the couch. Is that alright?" The question was directed towards Akitsu, but she didn't answer, she was too shocked.

Matsu on the other hand was quick to voice her worries. "Wh-what? Can we really trust her? She clearly lied about her relationship with MBI."

"And?"

"W-what do you mean 'and'? She lied." Matsu had now stepped in between Shioon and Akitsu, a weary look directed towards the ice user.

Shioon sighed as he clarified his reasoning. "If she doesn't want to explain her circumstances she doesn't have to. Plus, I trust her."

"Trust? How can you trust her so easily?"

"I… I'm not entirely sure. Guess I just do." Matsu noted there was an uncertainty in his eyes. When he turned to regard Akitsu however, all doubt just disappeared, replaced by determination. "I'm a good judge of character."

Turning to Akitsu he questioned. "You called me master before. Does that mean you want me to be your Ashikabi?"

Akitsu's nod was minuscule, could barely be seen, but it was a nod nonetheless.

"Well then." Shioon started as he turned to the ice Sekirei who was looking at him with wide eyes and bated breath, before extending his hand towards the stunned girl, a small smile on his lips. "Will you be my Sekirei?"

* * *

Matsu sat in her hidden room, quietly observing the sleeping frame of Shioon's newest Sekirei in one of her many monitors.

The ice Sekirei had been absolutely exhausted, as she'd fallen asleep almost immediately after hitting the pillow.

At the start she'd seemed slightly… anxious, but after Shioon assured her he would be there when she woke up she'd finally agreed to lay down on his bed.

Matsu could admit she might have been a little to hostile towards the other Sekirei, but she could hardly be blamed could she? The ice wielder held tremendous power after all, power Matsu couldn't hope to compete with; and the fact she couldn't be winged meant her allegiance was not assured, and could falter in a moment of weakness. If Akitsu turned against Shioon, Matsu wouldn't have the power to stop the ice Sekirei, which had become apparent after their brief bout in the hallway.

Then again, if looked on from a different perspective and assuming Akitsu could be trusted, Shioon now had a powerful new defender who probably only some of the stronger single numbers could beat. Matsu would keep a watchful eye on the ice wielder for sure but if the new inclusion meant Shioon would be better protected then Matsu could afford to trust the ice user.

The fact that she lied when asked about MBI was worrying though, Matsu would need to investigate further, see if she could find anything in MBI's personal database. Hacking into the server of the large conglomerate was risky, but far from impossible for the skilled hacker.

Still, Matsu could agree with Shioon's assessment that the ice wielder probably didn't have any hidden hostile intention towards either of them. She had, after all, been willing to stand up to Miya in order to protect the boy; _that_ was impressive and showed enormous loyalty.

Although it probably should be noted that Shioon's trust in the ice wielder most likely stemmed less from this fact and more from the fact that Akitsu was a young and attractive woman, who was in dire need of help. Matsu sighed to herself as a small smile started spreading across her lips. He was a health young man after all, she couldn't blame him.

Matsu turned her head slightly, smile still on her lips, when the door to her hidden room suddenly opened, allowing entrance to said health young man. "I can see Akitsu-tan is finally asleep." Matsu said with a smile.

"Yeah…" Shioon mumbled before creasing his eyebrows as his eyes landed on the video screen. "I think I asked you to remove the cameras in my room." He sounded more exasperated than upset.

"Oh, yes you did."

"And?"

"Didn't want to." Matsu's voice was friendly but teasing. "Since you won't let me sleep next to you I need other methods of keeping an eye of you."

"Not that me forbidding you ever stopped you from creeping into my bed…" Shioon muttered. Since winging Matsu he'd woken up next to her a multitude of times, often with her legs wrapped around his from behind with a pair of large objects pressed against his back. Shioon couldn't help but blush when he recalled the memory. The first time he awoke next to her, he'd let out a loud and girly scream before half jumping-half falling out of bed. Matsu really wasn't good for his heart.

"So… what can I do for you?" Matsu then smiled impishly before pushing out her chest and spreading her legs suggestively. "Or perhaps you're here to do something to me~~"

Shioon momentarily faltered as he blushed but managed to regain focus when he adverted his eyes. "Uh… what? N-no… uhm…" he then then sighed as his whole body slumped "…I wanted to apologize. I made the choice to let Akitsu stay here on my own, even though my decision would obviously effect you as well."

Matsu sighed as she stood up, before making her way towards her Ashikabi. "Perhaps you were a little too quick to make your decision. But I can understand why you were so protective of her." She stopped just in front of Shioon, but still not so close that they touched. She probably knew Shioon would move back if their chests touched. "The broken number have obviously been through a lot. Your protective nature isn't something you'd have to apologize for."

"I wish you'd stop calling her that." Shioon muttered. After finally managing to put the ice wielder to bed, Shioon had asked Matsu what it meant to be a 'broken number'.

He hadn't liked the answer.

A failed experiment had left Akitsu's abilities unstable, resulting in her winging herself. She could no longer be winged by anyone. He didn't completely understand why that was a bad thing. If the winging ritual was a way for a Sekirei to release their full power, didn't that just mean Akitsu didn't need to rely on anyone else in order to use the full extent of her abilities?

Not that his opinion mattered though, only Akitsu's did. It was strange, and Shioon didn't understand why or how, but somehow he almost felt like he could sense the ice user's emotions.

When he looked at her he saw hopelessness, grief and torment, the emotions rooted so deep inside her that they'd become a part of her, like they represented her. And the worst part was that Akitsu actually believed it, she believed she was useless, that no one would ever want her, that her existence didn't matter. Shioon couldn't imagine what Akitsu must have been through in order reach such a low opinion of herself. It made him angry, it made his blood boil.

"Yeah… sorry. I will try not to call her that again. I guess I might have been a bit too hostile as well." Matsu explained. "Her presence means more security should an enemy Sekirei decide to attack, which is important since you haven't winged any battle oriented Sekirei yet."

"Yeah, guess you're ri…" Shioon stumbled on the sentence when Matsu's full statement settled in his head. "O-other Sekirei?"

"Well yes." Matsu looked oddly at him.

"Is it possible to wing more than one Sekirei?"

"Well… yes." Matsu started. "This Sekirei plan is a battle royal after all. Obviously the chances of winning would significantly increase if an Ashikabi winged more than one Sekirei. Not that all Ashikabi is capable of attracting multiple Sekirei, but you are a particularly powerful Ashikabi and will most likely wing more than one." She then added as an afterthought. "The only reason you haven't winged any other Sekirei is probably because you haven't encountered any."

"Oh… okay?" Shioon wasn't sure how he felt about that. Though it did prove a suspicion he'd previously had. Matsu's affection, the 'love' as she called it, probably didn't actually mean much. Matsu's explanation regarding what the winging ritual actually meant or entailed between the Sekirei and Ashikabi had been foggy and unclear, but as far as Shioon understood, the winging ritual or 'the bounding' as Matsu had called it, was essentially a way for Sekirei to reach their full potential and acquire power which were essentially sealed. A way for them to survive this so called game which Minaka had devised, and in a way, this was doubly true for Matsu.

Her physical proves while impressive, couldn't match that of a battle orientated Sekirei. Matsu needed protection, and in a way perhaps her Ashikabi – him in this case – could provide that. Nothing in the way of battle obviously, since the average (none murimin) human couldn't stand up to the powerful race, but instead by providing a safe home and someplace to fit in society. A safety net so to speak.

Matsu's affections for him were probably a type of defense mechanism, a way for her to improve the chances of survival in a game where the existence of an Ashikabi meant a huge difference. She wasn't trying to be deceitful, she probably did it subconsciously. Shioon shock his head and cleared his mind as he asked. "Does that mean I should be looking for other Sekirei?"

Matsu remained quiet a little while before answering carefully. "Well… not really. The Sekirei Plan is still just in the beginning stages which means only about… maybe around 40 % have been released. Sooner or later you're gonna run into other Sekirei." Matsu looked up as she tilted her head cutely. "Plus, I have to admit I do enjoy having you all to myself."

There it was again. That seductive smile accompanied by an enticing giggle. He did get hot behind the ears and his checks were probably a little red, but because Shioon knew she wasn't being serious he at least managed not to blush. He sighed before righting his posture slightly. "You don't have to do that you know."

Matsu sent him a questioning look. "Do what?"

"I know this so called game can't be easy for you. Constantly having to look over your shoulder for enemy Sekirei. But I'm not going anywhere so you don't have to continue doing… uhm… _this._ " He gestured towards the hacker Sekirei.

Matsu creased her eyebrows as her smile became a little less full. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I would never abandon you, so you don't have to pretend like you love me."

Shioon immediately knew he'd said something wrong when the smile instantly died on Matsu's lips, replaced by an angry scowl. It was not the reaction the young martial artist had expected. That's when she stood up; with such speed and force that Shioon had to take a step back, thinking she was gonna hit him.

She did the opposite. She kissed him.

Pure wings of light sprouted from her back. Not that Shioon paid them any attention as he was far more occupied by the lips soft as cotton and the tongue which pushed itself into his mouth, sending small shivers of pleasure down his body. Matsu was a damn good kisser. Shioon thought the kiss ended far too quickly as Matsu pulled back, face red and out of breath. They were still close enough to feel each other's breath, the tip of her chest toughing his.

Matsu's smile was back in place, teasing and mischievous but at the same time oh so content, which was why what she said next was so at odds with her current expression. "You say something like that again I'm gonna smack you." And with that admission Matsu turned on her heel as she exited her hidden room, hips swaying behind her, leaving a bewildered and confused Shioon in her wake.

* * *

 ** _Ha! Finally done… god this chapter was difficult to write. Had to rewrite it at least a dozen times. I just didn't know where I wanted it to go. Hope it came out alright._**

 ** _Some more Akitsu as well. I really like her, so I hope I did her character justice. I just hope having Akitsu lie wasn't to OOC. As stated before, Akitsu will be winged, although not yet._**

 ** _And yeah… Shioon is still damn dense but honestly, would Shioon really be Shioon if he didn't at least start out dense? He won't remain clueless forever however. His denseness is going to be an actual plot point._**

 ** _Not sure when the next chapter will be released but hopefully it won't take another half year._**


	5. The green girl - part 1

**_The Green Girl - part 1_**

It was dark, but not pitch black. It was more like a strange, grey fog which hung around him like a blanket, stretching much further than he could actually see. It wasn't cold, but it wasn't really warm either. Honestly he couldn't really tell the temperature at all.

The space around him felt distant somehow; alien. There was still a sense of familiarity with the place however. He couldn't completely explain from where the feeling originated but somehow Shioon recognized the place, as if he'd been there before.

Looking down, his eyes were immediately drawn to the chains which wound around his body, like a multitude of metal-colored snakes in different shades. They didn't feel restricting though and didn't hold him down or prevent his movement in any way. The chains also felt familiar in a strange way. As if – although he'd never seen them before – he just instinctively knew they belonged to him.

He grabbed one of the chains, twisting his hand around the shimmering metal in a firm grip, before tugging. Shioon didn't know what he expected to happen, but somehow it felt completely logical and natural when the chain suddenly rose from the ground it was connected to, before racing through the vast space and disappearing in the distance.

' _That's Matsu._ ' The thought left his mind almost on its own accord, and Shioon immediately wondered where it came from. Realization dawn a second later. 'This is the bound, isn't it?' Matsu had mentioned the strange concept a few times, but never really bothered to completely explain what it meant. It was just sort of there, connecting Sekirei and Ashikabi.

He'd assumed it was just a figurative term, especially considering how lightly Matsu used the phrase, as well as how dismissive she was of the connection's actual functions; but maybe that wasn't because it didn't exist, but because the bound had always been a part of what it meant to be a Sekirei. Matsu could most likely actually _feel_ the bound, which was why she knew it was there.

Here, in this place, Shioon could feel it to. He could feel the chains wrapped around his body, and somehow knew which one belonged to Matsu; which one represented the hacker Sekirei.

Detecting and recognizing the Ki signatures of people was nothing new. He'd been perfecting his Ki sensing abilities for over a year as he trained under the Ghostly Doctor, and by this point – even by the standards of a Grandmaster – his sensory abilities were down right monstrous. If he concentrated he could normally detect everything from the birds in the sky, to the tiniest spider, caught in its own web. This was not the case now though, as the only Ki-signature he could perceive was his own. Instead of sensing Matsu's Inner energy he could actually feel _her_. It was a strange sensation; as if the imagined link between him and the hacker was an actual physical thing he could see, touch, and grab a hold of. The feeling was comfortable and strangely intimate.

The silver chain was not the only one he focused on though. There was another, this one damaged and rusted, cracks covering its entire frame. It was also covered in a small sheen of frost.

If he were to attribute an emotion to it, this one felt cold and lonely, and unlike Matsu's chain which wrapped around his body in an almost possessive manner, Akitsu's (for it could belong to no one but her) twisted and turned around him without touching, as if wanting to approach but afraid of getting to close.

The same way he could tell the silver-colored chain belonged to Matsu, he just knew this one represented Akitsu, but he could also tell something was wrong with it. He could recognize the block at the other end.

He sighed as he turned his attention away from the cracked, frosted chain. The state of Akitsu was worrying but he couldn't really do anything from in here, as by this point it had become quite obvious this was all happening in his head. He was most likely dreaming, and somehow accessing the bound through the dream. The important part, however, was that he hadn't chosen to access this place in his mind, but had instead been pulled here.

The smallest of the chains – which honestly locked more like a tiny line made out of metal – was (for lack of a better word) tugging him in a certain direction. He decided to follow.

He walked for a while, studying the little line as it continued pulling him along. It might have been much smaller than any of the other chains covering his body, but that certainly didn't make it weak; as he could easily recognize the power emanating from within, only weakened and muted. It was the same power all Sekirei seemed to possess, although this one strangely reminded him of nature. Of grass, trees and flowers.

Shioon honestly wasn't all that surprised when suddenly a large tree appeared, just inside his vision, the view slightly obstructed by the fog.

Normally he would have probably been a little more careful when approaching a tree which had just spontaneously appeared out of nowhere, but the second the crying reached his ears he rushed forward, not stopping until standing right in front of the large oak.

And there, on a low hanging branch a young girl sat, crying her eyes out. He clenched his hands into fists. Seeing the girl cry just felt so fundamentally _wrong_ , and the same way he knew the color of grass, he also knew then and there he really would be willing to do _anything_ to stop her tears from falling; to see her smile. He also knew with absolute certainty that if the girl was crying because of someone – because someone had hurt her – then he would find the ones responsible and hurt them right back; who they were or how he would hurt them was of little consequence. The end result would be the same.

He would later realize the strangeness of having such strong protective feelings towards someone he'd never met before, but in that moment the thought didn't even cross his mind.

As he slowly approached the crying girl she seemed to notice him – if not by sight then by sound – and she turned in his direction, eyes stained with tears.

"Are you okay? Why are you crying?" He asked, using a soft and comforting voice.

She didn't answer at first, just looking at him oddly as if she hadn't expected anyone else to notice her. When she answered her voice was small and unsure. "Are you my Onii-chan?"

He instantly nodded, extending his hand. "Yeah… Onii-chan will help you down from there. Give me your hand." She reached out, and without too much effort her tiny feet were back on the ground, large brown eyes the same color as honey staring up at him expectantly. "So little one, what's your name?"

"Kuu is obviously Kuu…" She muttered using the kind of logic that only a young child could employ with such confidence, before adding a little sourly, "and Kuu isn't little. Kuu is big!"

 _'_ _Well, isn't that one of the cutest things I've ever seen?'_ Shioon thought to himself _,_ but made sure not to smile, as he was pretty sure the little girl wouldn't appreciate it. He could remember he hadn't liked being called little either when he had been… well, little. "So, Kuu-chan. Why were you crying?"

The pulling sensation came from nowhere, and suddenly he was being dragged back to reality. As he opened his eyes, because they had been closed, the world seemed to blur before coming into focus.

It'd been a dream, or at least something like a dream, but he'd already known that was the case. Matsu explained once how all Sekirei had some kind of psychic connection to their Ashikabi, and that it wasn't completely unheard of for a Sekirei to contact a potential Ashikabi through other mediums; such as dreams. That's most likely what just happened, but he still needed more information. He needed to consult Matsu, and figure out exactly what the strange experience, dream or not, actually meant.

* * *

 ** _A pretty tiny chapter I'm afraid, but the thing is that I've really started losing inspiration for this story. It's been like three years since 'The Breaker: New Waves' was completed and I guess I've just lost interest in the Murim world and in Shioon as a main character. So I'm afraid that at least for now (until season three of The Breaker is released and I get some new inspiration), this story will be on indefinite hiatus._**

 ** _With that said, I'll start focusing on a new story, and have already put up the first chapter. It's called 'At War With Nature' and is a Danmachi time travel fic, so give it a try would ya? Below is the synopsis._**

 ** _Summary:_** 'Not strong enough.' It was the story of my life. I wasn't strong enough to protect Orario, and as a result the city crumbled and died, vanishing in a sea of flames, everyone I'd ever loved following soon after. I did gain the necessary strength eventually though, but by then it was far too late. So when an opportunity to go back and do it all again presented itself, of course I was going to take it, and this time, strength would not be an issue.


End file.
